New Delhi, March 8  2015:  Just ahead of International Women’s Day, India's largest travel community, HolidayIQ, conducted a survey among 20,000 women across the country to understand if what women thought India was a safe destination to travel.
The key finding is that Indian women generally feel safe   travelling within their own country.
Women safety while travelling in India:  78% women of various age-groups across the country feel India is a safe place to travel
City wise split – Women in Mumbai feel the safest amongst all cities, followed by Bangalore
a.       71% Delhi b.  76% Kolkata c.  92% Mumbai d. 74% Chennai e. 83% Bangalore f.  75% Hyderabad
Age Group – Around 94% of young women in India feel travelling in India is safe
a. 18 to 24 years – 95% of them feel India is a safe place to travel b. 25 to 34 years – 92%  c. 35 to 44 years – 79%  d. 45 to 54 years – 87%  e. 55 to 64 years – 47%.
Who do they prefer travelling – girl gang travelling is a trend that’s catching-up 
a. 25% prefer travelling with family b. 22% prefer with friends c. 18% prefer with girl-gang d.13% prefer solo e. 8% with significant other
Preferred/ safe destinations by women – 60% of women prefer beach & hill station holidays
a.    60% of women preferred Beaches (Kerala, Goa, Andaman, Pondicherry) & Hill Destinations (Manali, Ooty, Nainital, Shimla, Coorg) b. 12% of women preferred city holidaying– Mumbai, Chennai, c.  8% of women preferred jungle holidaying– Corbett, Ranthambore, Bandipur d. 20% of women opt for alternate holidaying options
Tips from HolidayIQ for women travellers: Carry out thorough research, use apps for navigation/ maps. Make sure phone has charge. Keep a couple of friends posted on whereabouts. Carry cash & contact details of hotel. Try to blend in. Be confident, don’t shy from asking for help.  Be wary, not unfriendly. Trust your intuition, but do your homework. Keep to yourself, but stick with the crowds.
Says Hari Nair, Founder & CEO, HolidayIQ: “2015 is the seminal year for solo women travellers. We have been tracking a fair rise in this segment in the last four years, but the big spurt to 10%, will be witnessed in 2015 for the first time. This jump will significantly alter the tourism in India, just as the rise of couple travellers over the last decade did by giving rise to the concept of weekend getaways and jungle lodges across India. Perhaps, women-friendly concept hotels and specialized holiday packages will surface. Meanwhile, the tourism industry must note, when women plan a holiday, they spend 15 % more than men. Not wanting travel to be an extension of the family, independence and the exposure that comes with it, has led to the rise of the solo woman traveller".